DMX’s Family Denies Reports That Beyonce And Jay-Z Bought Late Rapper’s Master Recordings For $10M

By Msyosi On Apr 13, 2021

Family of DMX have shut down rumors claiming that Beyoncé and her husband Jay-Z bought the late rapper’s master recordings for $10million (N3.8bn).

A “master” is the jargon used to refer to the underlying rights to a song. Literally, the “master recording” is the original version from which everything else stems.

A CD, a stream, an appearance on a movie soundtrack, being released publicly at all — all of those are licensed by the holder of the master rights. This also means that the holder of the master has control over the financial gains from the recordings as well.

Put simply, controlling the master rights essentially means you have control over what is done with the song or album.

The hip-hop icon, born Earl Simmons, was hospitalized after he suffered a heart attack triggered by drug overdose on April 2. He died on Friday, April 9, at 50.

Following his death, rumours surfaced that the celebrity couple purchased the late rapper’s master recordings for $10million.

However, DMX’s has now dismissed the rumours in a statement shared by Complex, saying;

There have been a few rumors following our loved one, Earl Simmons, passing that we’d like to clear up. No one has bought Earl’s masters.

There had also been talk of the family raising funds for the rap icon’s funeral, which they quickly quashed and warned people not to be scammed by people trying to sell DMX merchandise to benefit from the hip-hop star’s death.

DMX’s family added;

If anyone is requesting for money for his funeral please be aware the person is a scammer. We will keep the public posted on funeral/memorial service arrangements.

And there had been whispers that the power couple had purchased the masters, however, this has been dismissed by the family of DMX — whose real name was Earl Simmons.

In other news, streams of the late music legend’s tunes have rocketed by 928 percent since his passing on April 9. A total of 75.7 million audio and video streams were counted on April 9 and 10, compared to 7.36 million on April 7 and 8.

Tributes have so continued to pour in for DMX with many praying for comfort for the family he left behind.